I absolutely loved that book! I haven't seen the film, as I was a bit worried it would be awful, but maybe I will give it a go.

I've just finished The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid, which I really enjoyed. It's a thriller, but the plot is all based around theories about what happened to Fletcher Christian, and his supposed friendship with Wordsworth.

Next up is The Casual Vacancy

While I did like Never Let Me Go, I was sort of sad it didn't keep up the momentum that drew me in at the very beginning. I have a few other gripes, but I still overall enjoyed the book very much.

I enjoyed this and wish I had copied down some recipes before I returned it to the library.

I just started reading the Sherlock Holmes stories. A month ago I picked up a copy of all of them and have been thrilled that they are as witty and fantastic as all of the recent versions on the small and large screen.

I just finished The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho, which I really enjoyed. I read another book by him a few years ago and forgot how much I enjoyed his writing style. Fairly simple, but his story always draws you right in.

_________________when you realise how perfect everything is, you will tilt you head back and laugh at the sky. -buddha

I'm about half-way through and I'm conflicted! On the whole I really like it--hilarious, sensible, really accessible. However, the whole "English imperialism is the best!" has come up and it's hard to stomach. As is her use of the word "rhubarbed". Only once so far, but yuck.

One thing I really, really like, though, is that she says that feminism is far too important to be left up to stodgy academics who write for other academics.

_________________"I'd rather have dried catshit! I'd rather have astroturf! I'd rather have an igloo!"~Isa

"But really, anyone willing to dangle their baby in front of a crocodile is A-OK in my book."~SSD

I'm taking a course now that talks about the feminist blogosphere and non-academic books (we're going to be reading Gaga Feminism later) so I'm a bit curious about that one, since from what I heard its a mix of what's good about mainstream feminist books and whats bad. We were talking a bit yesterday about continuing problems with intersectionality and she was the first one I thought of as an example.

_________________I was really surprised the first time I saw a penis. After those banana tutorials, I was expecting something so different. -Tofulish

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder - I've heard a lot about her books but this is the first I've read and I'm really enjoying it. Finally a YA with no insta-love!

bodhi wrote:

I just finished The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho, which I really enjoyed. I read another book by him a few years ago and forgot how much I enjoyed his writing style. Fairly simple, but his story always draws you right in.

I liked that too. I had Eleven Minutes but I lent it to a friend and she never returned it... and I had another one but I can't remember what one.

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle was also very good. You're basically reading the list for a book club I was in 4 years ago.

That's what happens when you barely read for 6 years! You spend a lot of time catching up on stuff you should have read awhile ago. The good news is that you can find all of the popular paperbacks from years ago at Goodwill for $2! And there are no holds on the books you want at the library!

I'm reading the most recent Jess Smith book, The Way of the Wanderers: The Story of Travellers in Scotland, and I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. I liked her other books because I knew what to expect. This one led me to believe that it would be a history of Scottish Travellers, but that isn't really the case. Most of it reads more like a travel journal or tourist guide (describing the places/scenery), and the history mostly comes in the form of stories she heard growing up or things she just assumes to be true. Also, she actually claimed that the English allowed the Irish language to "continue unhindered", when even a quick Google search proves that wrong.

I really wanted to like this, and I'm gonna finish it, but I don't really expect it to get much better.

_________________A pie eating contest is a battle with no losers. - amandabear

I need something good to read. I'm simultaneously feeling crappy, and have no attention span. I need fluff, but because I'm really super irritable right now, I also don't have the patience for silly. Basically, I need chocolate in book form.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

I need something good to read. I'm simultaneously feeling crappy, and have no attention span. I need fluff, but because I'm really super irritable right now, I also don't have the patience for silly. Basically, I need chocolate in book form.

For fluff, I usually go to my Rogue Angel books. I found them at a thrift store cheap so I have a few. Some are better than others.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

I need something good to read. I'm simultaneously feeling crappy, and have no attention span. I need fluff, but because I'm really super irritable right now, I also don't have the patience for silly. Basically, I need chocolate in book form.

Those are the times where I bring out something like The Princess Bride because I simply can't be unhappy reading that.

_________________I was really surprised the first time I saw a penis. After those banana tutorials, I was expecting something so different. -Tofulish

I need something good to read. I'm simultaneously feeling crappy, and have no attention span. I need fluff, but because I'm really super irritable right now, I also don't have the patience for silly. Basically, I need chocolate in book form.

For fluff, I usually go to my Rogue Angel books. I found them at a thrift store cheap so I have a few. Some are better than others.

That looks perfect. How have I not heard of these before? I love archaeology and pulpy books. These sound kind of like that old Tia Carrere tv show.

I got the first one on Kindle.

Thanks!

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

I need something good to read. I'm simultaneously feeling crappy, and have no attention span. I need fluff, but because I'm really super irritable right now, I also don't have the patience for silly. Basically, I need chocolate in book form.

Those are the times where I bring out something like The Princess Bride because I simply can't be unhappy reading that.

That's where the attention span thing is getting me--rereads aren't working. Not even my go to, Wings of the Falcon by Barbara Michaels (aka Elizabeth Peters), or some of her EP books like Summer of the Dragon and Legend in Green Velvet. I love Amelia Peabody, but my real favorites are her older stand alones and Vicky Bliss. Fun fact: she went to grad school with my middle Egyptian professor. I asked him if he had had her as a student and he gave me this look and said they were classmates. I also tripped on stairs and made Mark Lehner drop an armful of crepe down two flights of stairs.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

I need something good to read. I'm simultaneously feeling crappy, and have no attention span. I need fluff, but because I'm really super irritable right now, I also don't have the patience for silly. Basically, I need chocolate in book form.

Those are the times where I bring out something like The Princess Bride because I simply can't be unhappy reading that.

That's where the attention span thing is getting me--rereads aren't working. Not even my go to, Wings of the Falcon by Barbara Michaels (aka Elizabeth Peters), or some of her EP books like Summer of the Dragon and Legend in Green Velvet. I love Amelia Peabody, but my real favorites are her older stand alones and Vicky Bliss.

My go-to books for these moods are Rosemary's Baby and about half of Lawrence Sanders The Third Deadly Sin. I re-read them a lot, never seem to tire of them, they feed my brain that needs reading but just wants to be entertained and are well-written, I like the characters (or think they're really well drawn because in the Sanders' book the main character is a serial killer) and never get tired of the story. The only reason I've ever balked at re-reading them is because I feel that I re-read them already too recently because, I dunno why, I just never get tired of them and I've been reading them for years.

I'm still reading Mia's autobio but court papers regarding Woody is the next section and potential legalese is not too enticing when my brain is this tired.

I need something good to read. I'm simultaneously feeling crappy, and have no attention span. I need fluff, but because I'm really super irritable right now, I also don't have the patience for silly. Basically, I need chocolate in book form.

Have you read Chocolat? It or a lot of Joanne Harris's books are food for that. I also like Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series which starts with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

ETA: I just finished Peaches for Father Francis and really enjoyed it. Harris dealt with a lot of issues in a skillful manner, and you could tell she did a lot of research for the book. The ending was a little too neat, but overall happy ending is happy.

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk